Oxford
Oxford is home to the University which bears its name. Along with Cambridge, the two universities 
are the oldest in the English-speaking world, with Oxford being founded first - in the late 11th century. Cambridge was formed as an offshoot by disenfranchised Oxford students, who left after a dispute with townsfolk in 1209. The two are closely linked (famously by their 'boat race' rivalry) and top the performance tables for universities in the United Kingdom - sometimes referred to as 'Oxbridge' collectively.
The City of Oxford is in the county of Oxfordshire and became an important military town in the 10th century, with citizens granted the same rights as those in the capital, London. Shortly afterwards the university began teaching, but frictions began to emerge between local residents and the undergraduate population; who were seen to do and say as they pleased. To quell the possibility of rioting, students were required to live in 'halls' (a tradition which persists in universities to this day), which were later superseded by colleges (University College was the first in 1249). The relationship between 'town and gown' has always been uneasy and a riot in 1355 claimed 93 student and townsfolk lives.
By the twentieth century, new indus
try in the form of the Morris Motor Company works at Cowley and significant printing services helped the town to grow to its present size. A smaller BMW plant at Cowley, now produces the Mini, though most of the original factory is a business park.
Although there are numerous attractions, museums and parks, they do not offer the same level of quality as those found in London. Harsh perhaps, but true. When visiting Oxford, I would recommend you wear some comfy shoes and visit the university precincts, which dominate the town. In this respect, there is nowhere else like it (except Cambridge of course) and the architecture and history packed into such a small space is exceptional. There are plenty of restaurants and pubs in the town, to revive you during your tour and the shops like the university, are also centrally located. You can join a guided tour, run by the city tourist board, which operate twice daily (four times during peak season), or simply devise your own.
Services to Oxford Rail Station run from London Paddington, with journey times taking between 60 and 70 minutes.
There are two cheap coach operators which run from London to Oxford - the Oxford Tube and the Oxford Express. Which offer an adult return on the same, or next day for around £15. Their coaches both have a stop (14A and B) at Marble Arch, exit 4 of the underpass in 
Central London (and stop 10 at Victoria). They run every 15 minutes and it takes 100 minutes journey time. If you're staying in central London it will probably be faster to catch one of these - than to take a tube to Paddington, wait for a train and then get into town from Oxford Rail Station at the other end. The coaches take you directly into the centre of town.
Oxford is 78 miles from London.
